Game Informer Best Of 2014 Awards

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Even as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gained a firm
foothold in the industry, 2014 lacked the masterpiece titles that gamers have
grown accustomed to in previous years. Don't get us wrong – there were plenty
of great games to play on our new- and old-gen systems alike, but every title
seemed to have its drawbacks and detractors, making this year's Top 50 list harder
than ever to put together.

While you can check out our full Top 50 list in the latest
issue of Game Informer, we're giving you a peek at the best of the best.
Below are our Top 50 award winners, which include platform exclusives, genre
standouts, the best multiplayer experiences, and much more, as decided by the Game Informer staff.

Best Xbox One Exclusive: Sunset
OverdriveSunset Overdrive is Insomniac Games' best effort in years,
and one of the most unique experiences of the year. Although the focus is
squarely on slaying mutants in the face of an apocalypse, the action blends
Ratchet & Clank's gonzo weaponry with Tony Hawk's combo-laden city
traversal. This odd amalgamation works well for the wacky missions and free-wheeling
city exploration.

Best PlayStation 4 Exclusive: Infamous Second
SonNew series lead Delsin Rowe is a superhero sponge, capable
of absorbing the powers of any Conduit that crosses his path. His personality
is grating, but Rowe's combat prowess dazzles. Second Son is one of the most
visually stunning games of the new console generation, painting Seattle
vibrantly as particle effects dance amid the frenzied battles.

Best PC Exclusive: Divinity:
Original SinWith a tactical combat system and excellent party
customization, Larian Studios' epic RPG is all about freedom of choice. Move
through the world as a destroyer of townsfolk, a hero, or something between the
extremes. Discovery is around every corner as you master the satisfying
elemental combat interactions, and you can even bring a friend along to play
co-op.

Best Wii U Exclusive: Bayonetta
2Platinum Games' stylish witch returns for another
action-packed adventure that defies reason. Why are you fighting on a jet? Why
are burning chainsaws strapped to your feet? Don't worry about it – instead,
relish the precise and polished combat that provides all the depth and variety
you could ask for. It may look like mayhem, but you're always in complete
control.

Best 3DS Exclusive: Persona Q:
Shadow of the LabyrinthPersona Q combines two of Atlus' popular series, Persona and
Etrian Odyssey, for thrilling results. The charismatic Persona characters keep
things entertaining as you crawl through harrowing dungeons with fun themes.
Throw in hard-fought victories and a complex battle system and Persona Q is
strong on all fronts.

Click the next page to
see our best handheld exclusives, competitive multiplayer, and more.

Best Vita Exclusive: Danganronpa:
Trigger Happy HavocThe PlayStation Vita has continued to transform into an
indie and Remote Play machine, but Sony's flagging handheld scored one big
exclusive in the form of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. Spike Chunsoft's unpredictable
murder mystery kept us glued to our touchscreens, despite the psychological
toll of the dark narrative.

Best Mobile Exclusive: Monument
ValleyIn a year where most mobile titles served up stale formulas
and endless microtransactions, Ustwogames' vivid puzzle game reminded us that
art and creativity still have a place on our smartphones and tablets. We wouldn't
have minded if the puzzles were more challenging, but the striking graphics and
cohesive vision have us eager to see what the developer does next.

Best Competitive
Multiplayer: Hearthstone: Heroes of WarcraftHearthstone is built on competitive multiplayer, and its overwhelming
popularity proves the free-to-play collectible card game's foundation is
strong. The right mix of strategy, luck, and an exceptional matchmaking
infrastructure has kept players continually butting heads in the arena and ranked,
and coming back for more.

Best Cooperative
Multiplayer: DestinyDestiny has received no end of flak from some gamers, but
others can't pry themselves away from Bungie's sci-fi shooter. Why? The
grind-focused loot and leveling systems all funnel back into the exceptional
cooperative multiplayer. Destiny's challenging raids will test even the most disciplined
teams, and we look forward to tackling future expansions with friends.

Best MMO: World of
Warcraft: Warlords of DraenorWoW's latest expansion refines and refreshes the 10-year-old
MMO. The new Garrison feature allows players to develop their own fortresses
alongside traditional dungeons, raids, and questing. Many of the old systems
have small-but-significant changes that keep things fresh during the leveling
process and beyond, and new players can jump right into the game at level 90.

Click the next page to
see our best action, adventure, and shooter awards.

Best Action:
Middle-earth: Shadow of MordorThe legendary Lord of the Rings series finally got the video
game treatment it deserved thanks to Monolith Productions. Set between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, Talion's adventure focuses on
mutilating orcs with bad-ass, Arkham Asylum-style combat and manipulating their
ranks thanks to the ingenious Nemesis System.

Best Adventure:
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy HavocThe demented bear Monokuma locks 15 students in a school and
promises freedom to anyone who kills a classmate and gets away with it. Players
watch as the colorful cast cracks under the pressure and backstabs each other
to avoid becoming the next victim. The great writing, unpredictable characters,
and tense courtroom trials make Danganronpa an intriguing and surprising
experience.

Best Simulation: This
War Of MineWar is a bleak, awful thing
that affects far more people than the gun-toting soldiers often glorified in
games. This War of Mine focuses on survivors of a war-torn Eastern European
city, scavenging for food and supplies just to survive the fighting. Decisions
have deep repercussions, potentially driving your survivors to suicide. It's a
grim yet important look into the realities of war.

Best Racing: Mario
Kart 8Mario Kart is practically required ownership alongside every
Nintendo console; the series is always popular and high quality, but Mario Kart
8 tops all its predecessors. With solid racing, new weapons, gravity-defying
courses, and a replay mode that highlights the fantastic visuals, Mario Kart 8
is easily among the best of the Wii U's offerings.

Best Shooter: DestinyAfter much anticipation, this year finally brought us the
new shooter franchise from the creators of Halo. A confusing story and grind-focused leveling turned
some players off to Destiny, but millions of others flocked to it night after night for
months. With patches and expansions changing the experience, we foresee a long
life ahead for Bungie's shared-world social playground.

Click the next page to
see our best role-playing, strategy, and remastered game awards.

Best Role-Playing:
Dragon Age: InquisitionBioWare is one of the most respected RPG developers in the
industry, and the latest installment of Dragon Age reminds us why. While many
elements of the series have changed over the years, the memorable characters,
nuanced storyline, and ability to create your own character and shape the
future of Thedas with your decisions remain as strong as ever, making
Inquisition the best Dragon Age game yet.

Best Strategy:
Civilization: Beyond EarthStrategy gamers have longed to launch their civilizations
into outer space for years, and Beyond Earth finally gives them the chance.
Firmly rooted in the mechanics that made recent Civ games so engaging, Beyond
Earth adds new complexities built around confronting an alien world, growing a
new society, and building technology light years ahead of today's world.

Best Rhythm/Music:
Fantasia: Music EvolvedKinect support has all but dried up as developers tried and
failed to make sense of the peripheral. Harmonix has held out, and we're
grateful. Fantasia drops players into bizarre soundscapes, letting them
manipulate songs with their bodies. You may think you know what to expect from
a music game, but Fantasia is unlike anything you've played before.

Best Sports: FIFA 15The FIFA series finally plays as good as it looks, giving
players unprecedented control and producing both more realistic and surprising
outcomes. This is wedded to one of the best feature sets in sports games, with
more friendly match options and a bolstered Ultimate Team via loans and mock
concept squads. The ball, and the world, is at your feet.

Best Remastered Game:
Grand Theft Auto VImproved visuals are one thing, but Rockstar's new-gen
re-release of Grand Theft Auto V literally gave us a new perspective on the
action. In addition to sharper textures and greater draw distances, the
developer reworked the entire game to support a new, optional first-person,
mode while fleshing out the already impressive open world with new flora,
fauna, and hidden activities.

Click the next page to
see our best fighting, platforming, and DLC awards.

Best Fighting: Super
Smash Bros.Smash is back, and it was worth the wait. Nintendo's
fighting mashup was in rare form, whether you went portable or played on
console. The crazy action and wide selection of Nintendo-themed characters is a
fan's dream. The Wii U's addition of 8-player matches is truly a game-changer,
but on either platform it is one of 2014's best.

Best Puzzle: The
Talos PrincipleCroteam's beloved indie project challenges you to
introspectively look at the world while you solve a series of environmental
puzzles. While exploring a virtual reality simulation after the extinction of
the human race, you use high-tech gadgets to conquer a maze of exploding droids
and force fields. This brain workout is one of the best first-person puzzle
games this side of Portal.

Best Platforming:
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical FreezeNintendo's reputation for releasing the best platformers in
the business continues with the latest DK entry from Retro Studios. The
inventive levels give veterans a run for their money, but bring casual players
to their knees. Every death feels fair once you learn the flow of a given stage
or boss. Combine this with gorgeous backgrounds and lighting effects and you've
got a must-play.

Best MOBA: SmiteHi-Rez Studios' third-person MOBA eschews the isometric RTS
roots of the genre and innovates in interesting ways, offering fast-paced arena
battles alongside traditional 5v5 battles. With an extensive roster drawing
from classical mythology and combat that's essentially all skillshot-based with
shooter elements, Smite is an excellent change of pace from the traditional
MOBA format.

Best DLC: The Last of
Us: Left BehindNaughty Dog's harrowing masterpiece easily won our Game of
the Year award last year, and its follow-up single-player DLC similarly stood
out as the best of the best in 2014. The look back at Ellie's relationship with
her BFF Riley shows players another side of the precocious survivor, while
serving up more of the stellar gameplay that we fell in love with last year.

Click the next page to
see our 2014 Game of the Year.

Game of the Year:
Dragon Age: InquisitionThe third entry in BioWare's Dragon Age franchise learns
from its predecessors, but strikes off in a new direction for the series.
Players build the power of their Inquisition, shaping the world while saving it
from the clutches of evil. Everything you do contributes to your progression,
and the vast open environments, memorable cast members, and mix of strategy and
action ensure that you always have something interesting to accomplish. As an
expansive and impressive adventure that sets the bar for the next generation of
RPGs, Dragon Age: Inquisition earns its place as our Game of the Year.

Want to see what other games made our Top 50 list? Check out
the rest of our 27-page look back at 2014 in the latest issue of Game Informer.
Click
here to read all about what else is included in the February issue (like
our in-depth look at Uncharted
4: A Thief's End). Print subscribers should see their issues arriving in
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Jeff started playing video games in the '80s and has been writing about them for Game Informer since 2009. Over the years he has collected more video games and board games than he could ever hope to play in a single lifetime.